Adjustable ratio rotary totalizers



R. s. WILLIAMS 2,930,524

ADJUSTABLE RATIO ROTARY TOTALIZERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 29, 1960 Filed Aug. 28, 1957 OUTPUT SIGNAL suPPw 26 PRESSURE 25 3 w m 13 24 26 45 1 45 7 2 33 3a 44 471. CUM

BY a @3 5 March 29, 1960 R. s. WILLIAMS ADJUSTABLE RATIO ROTARY TOTALIZERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Au 23, 1957 Juli/d rllllllll u r 0 7 8 y L 3 .Te 6 9 x 2 Q 0 H L 7 a m 9 5 W 4 m m E 3 8 1' e 7 M n mi a M Q My fiNVENTOR. BY 67 12 W March 29, 1960 R. s. WILLIAMS 2,930,524

ADJUSTABLE RATIO ROTARY TOTALIZERS Filed Aug. 28, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 PUT IN VENTOR. i111 bum nited States Patent O 2,930,524 ADJUSTABLE RATIO ROTARY TOTALIZERS Ray S. Williams, Orrville, Ohio, assignor to Hagan Chemicals and Controls Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 28, 1957, Serial No. 680,766 14 Claims. (Cl. 235-61) This invention relates to devices for totalizing a plurality of force producing inputs and developing a control signal that is a function of the sum of the forces.

More particularly, the invention relates to an adjustable ratio rotary totalizer having a plurality of input units and a balancing output signal unit for developing a plurality of forces so arranged that the trigonometric sum of the forces of such units produce a motion that results in an output signal that is proportional to said sum.

An object of this invention is to provide a totalizer comprising a plurality of input units and an output unit 2 arranged concentrically about a common center and con nected by links to a signal developing element located at said common center but which is pivotally supported to rotate about a center removed from said common center, and having means for so rotating the pivotal support of the signal developing element that the motion thereof is a function of the angle between said element and an adjacent connecting link.

Another object is to provide a device having a plurality of force producing units, one of which may be responsive to a variable input signal and the units being connected by links to a common center, and a control member having a fixed end rotatable about said common center and extending radially towards said center, whereby the angle between the control member and one of said links may be adjusted to thereby change the ratio of input to output signals.

A further object forth in which the control member may be adjusted to a position in which the forces of two opposed units may be nullified and the forces of another pair caused to vary as the sine and cosine of angle 0.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains from the following description taken in conjunction with the acompanying drawings.

In the drawings: f

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a rotary ratio totalizer embodying a form of the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are views in section taken on lines 2-2 and 33, respectively, of Fig. l;

:Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View showing the ratio adjustment of Fig.4 rotated 45 counterclockwise from its position in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of ratio totalizer; and

another to an output signal,

totalizer showing the signal transmitter of Figs. 1 and 6 in section. 3

In Figs. 1-5 and 7' of the drawings an adjustable ratio prises a base 11 having mounted thereon a plurality of input responsive devices 12, 13, 14 and a signal output responsive device or unit 15. As shown, units 12 and 14, and 13 and 15, respectively, are directly opposite each other. Lines connecting devices -12 and 14 and 13-and Fig. 7 is a more or less schematic view of the ratio is to provide a totalizertas above set totalizer 10 and components thereof are shown that comthe back side of the base 11 is designed to .34 while the lug 33 supports a jet or 36 and the other end is 15 intersect at right angles. Therefore, the geometric arrangement of these units forms 4 quadrants. While four units, 12-15, are shown, it is to be understood that different number of odd or even numbered units may be employed.

Device 10 also includes a signal transmitter 17 (see details in Fig. 7) and a ratio mechanism and control valve assembly 18 actuated by the input units and the signal output responsive unit. The ratio mechanism and the assembly 18 develop the actuating pressure for the transmitter 17 and controls or determines its output pressure.

Devices 12-15 are similarly constructed and as one of them, namely device 13, is shown in section, a description of the details of that unit will sufiice for the description of the others.

In the arrangement of Fig. 1, the output pressure of transmitter 17 is delivered to unit 15 and the force de-' veloped by that unit balances the resultant of the forces developed by units 12-14 as will be explained infra.

Unit 13 comprises a housing 20 having diaphragms a13 and M3 rigidly connected at their centers by a rigid coupling 21. As shown, diaphragm a13 has a larger effective area than diaphragm 1513. Therefore, any pressure admittedto the interior of housing 20 will cause both diaphragms to move radially outward with respect to the center about which units 12-15 are located; The force developed is proportional to the value of the pressure and the difference between the areas of the diaphragms. The diaphragms an and M3 are clamped at their marginal edges by plates'22 and 23 having apertures for accommodating the active or deflecting portions of the diaphragms. I I

The rigid coupling 21 of diaphragms a13 and M3, is connected to one end of a spring 24, the other end of the spring being adjustably coupled to a support bracket 25 by an eye screw 26. The inner end of coupling 21 is con nected by a tension member 27d to the mechanism 18.

The tension members 27, 27d-27f of the respective units 12-15 are so coupled to the mechanism 18 that the motion thereof will be a function of the net or resultant Ratio mechanism and control valve 18 The mechanism 18 comprises a member 29 preferably of triangular shape that is secured to the base 11 by a pivot pin 30. The pin 30 extends through the base of the member 29 and the base 11. The end of the pin 30 at accommodate a ratio adjustment handle (not shown). At the opposite sides of the base of member 29 are upstanding lugs 32 and 33. Lug 32 is provided with an adjustable stop screw nozzle 35 through which a pressure medium such as compressed air issues. The rate at which the air issues from the nozzle is controlled by a battle 36. The bafile or control element 35 is supported in alug 37 at the apex of member 29by a relatively thinresilient metal strip 38. One end of the strip 38 is anchored in a slot in the pivoted end of bafile anchored in a slot in the lug 37 of member 29. The strip 38 acts like a frictionless pivot.

The inner ends of the tension members 27, 27d, 27e and 27 f of the units 1245 are connected to a ring 40. That ring is 'pivotally or rotatably supported in a ball bearing 41 in which a stub shaft 42 is journaled. The shaft 42 is secured to the'free end of the baflle- 36.

The tension members 27, 27d-27j arecomposed of two pieces connected by turn buckles 28, 28d-28f. One piece is a length of wire 44 and the other a threaded wire 45. The wires 45 extend into the ring at points with respect to each other and are secured by set screws 46. The outer ends of the wires 44 are secured by set screws 47 in the diaphragm couplers 21. By means of the turn buckles 28, 2811-28 the tension members may be lengthened or shortened as required.

When the member 29 is rotated to a position where it lies directly under one of the tension members, say the tension member that connects unit 12 to the ring as in Fig. 5, pressure acting on the diaphragms of units 12 and 14 will not produce any motion in the baffie 36, because the bafiie is on dead center, so to speak. However, pressure admitted to units 13 and 15 will produce motion either in the direction of unit 13 or in the direction of unit 15, depending uponwhich unit is developing the greater force. If the greater force is developed by unit 15, the baffie willmove towards the jet 23 and decrease therate at which air issues therefrom. When the force developed by unit 13 is the greater, the battle is moved away from the jet, thereby increasing the rate of flow of air issuing from it.

When member 29 is turned to the 45 position in either the first or the third quadrants of Fig. l, motion will be imparted to the bafile by all of the units in equal amounts for equal forces.

,b15, be equal to unity;

The radius of baffle 36 be R; and

Clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of bafiie 36 be designated and respectively.

With the above assumed conditions, the ring 40 is stationary when the sum of the moments of the forces about the bathe pivot 38 are equal to zero. The follow-.

ing equations illustrate the proposition: (1) ER cos -F R sin 0F R cos b-l-F R sin 0:0

' Dividing through by R and solving for F cos 0 cos 6 e=90, cot a=% and F4=F2 and both produce motion proportional to the difference, but F and F are incapable of producing motion.

When the bathe 36 is in the 4th quadrant,the forces are summed to zero as follows! F R cos 0+F R sin tie-F 1? cos q-F R sin 0=0 F R sin 0=F R cos 0+F R sin 0-F R cos 0 Dividing through by R and sin 0.

cos 0 7 cos F4 F sin 6-H?2 F sin 0 F4=(F1-F3) COl'. By adjusting the angleja, it will be apparent that the balancing force F will be modified in accordance with the cotangent of that angle.

When the bafile 36 is in the first quadrant, the motion and force applied to the baffie by unit 12 is in a direction .tending to move the baffle towards the jet 35, whereas the motion'and' force developed by unit 13 is such as to 4 p shift the bafiie away from the jet and increase the flow out of it. The force developed by unit 14 is such as to move the baffle away from the jet while the force developed by unit 15 actuates the battle towards the jet.

The operation of the totalizer' when the bafiie 36 is in the 4th quadrant is illustrated by the following equations, in which the same assumptions are made as in the equations for the first quadrant supra.

cos 0 cos B Fk'Fl sin 0 F3 sin 0 If the member is moved into the 4th quadrant, the forces developed by units 12 and 13 act to move the baffle toward the jet, while the units land 15 act to move the bafiie away from the jet.

Variations in the flow of compressed air out of the jet by the baffie causes the operating pressure on the transmitter 17 to change. As the jet is throttled, the pressure on the transmitter mechanism 17 increases and as it is unthrottled, so to speak, the operating pressure on the transmitter 17 is decreased. Thus the output pressure of transmitter 17 either increases or decreases as the jet is restricted more andmore or uncovered more and more.

In the arrangement shown, units 12, 13 and 14 are used as pressure signal input units and unit 15 as a signal output responsive balancing unit. In other words, when used as the balancing unit, unit 15 receives the output pressure of transmitter 17 so that the output pressure of the transmitter will in every case develop a force on the bafiie 24 that balances the forces exerted thereon by the other three units.

Signal transmitter 17 The transmitter 17 (see Fig. 7) comprises a body having a valve 51.therein that controls a seat 52. Valve 51 is attached to one end of a stem 53. The opposite end of the stem is connected to a metallic diaphragm 54 that normally actuates the valve away from the seat 52. Pressure on the diaphragm 54 moves the ball valve 51 towards the seat. The inlet side of the seat 52 is connected by interconnecting passageways 55 and 56 to the pressure side of diaphragm 54 and to the jet or nozzle 35, respectively. I As shown, the passageway 55 is connected by a passageway 57 to the pressure side of diaphragm 54 and by a passageway 58 and a flexible tube 59 to the jet 35. In the passageway 56 is a needle valve seat 60 controlled by a needle valve 61, whereby the restriction at the seat may be adjusted.

The valve body is also provided with a passageway 62 leading from the output side of the inlet seat 52 to an output connection 63. The connection 63 may be connected by a T-fitting 64 to the diaphragm chamber of unit 15 and to a sending line 65 leading to apparatus to be regulated or controlled. The sending line may also be connected to gauges or recording instruments for indicating the output of the totalizer or recording the same.

When the output of transmitter 17 is applied to the diaphragm chamber of unit 15', the pressure established in that unit will be of such magnitude that the force exerted by it on the baflie ring 40 will balance the forces exerted thereon by the diaphragms of units 12, 13 and 14,

When the bafiie support member 29 is ondead center with units 12 and 14, the output pressure of unit 15 will be proportional to the pressure in unit 13. With the member 29 in dead center position with units 13 and 15, the output pressure of the latter is not proportional to the pressure in unit 13. If support member 29 is moved from the'dead center position to the 45 position, the torque arms on the bafile ring will be equal for all of the units.

In any case, theoutput pressure of transmitter 17 will be a function of the position of the baffle 36 with respect to the tip of the jet or nozzle 35.

In Fig. 6, a modified form of totalizer 70 is shown. It embodies an odd numbered arrangement of force pro ducing units instead of an even number as in Fig. 1. Totalizer 70 comprises a base 71 on which are mounted pressure input units 72 and 73 and a signal responsive balancing unit 74. These units are schematically illustrated; however, it is to be understood they may be of the same construction as the units embodied in device 10.

Units 7274 are connected by adjustable length tension members 74a, 75 and 76 to a baflie ring 40 which is connected to baflie 36' in the same manner as in Fig. 1 and the other applicable views. The battle is pivotally supported on a member 29' which in turn is pivotally supported by the base in the same manner as in Fig. 1. Thus the pivoted end of the battle may be rotated about a center coinciding with the center of the ring 40' as in the case of device 10.

The units 7274 are so positioned that the angles between the respective adjacent tension members 7476 are equal to 120.

Totalizer 70 includes a jet 35', and a signal transmitter 17 of the type shown at 17 in Fig. 7. The input supply to the transmitter 17 is at 77, its output is at 78 and leads to the diaphragm chamber of unit 74 and the supply connection to the jet 35' is at 59.

The angle between the baffle 36' and tension member 75 may be varied or adjusted whereby the ratio of input signals to output or transmitter signal may be preset.

The equations illustrating the operation of totalizer 70 are as follows, the same assumptions and designations of forces being the same as those applied to the equations for totalizer 10.

F R cos 0-F R sin 0F R sin 0:0

The totalizer 70 has dead center positions of the battle as when it is in line with any one of the three tension members 7476.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, that various modifications and changes may be made in the illustrated embodiments without departing from either the spirit or the scope of the invention.

Therefore, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary ratio totalizer comprising a signal transmitter having a valve and a diaphragm for actuating the same to control the magnitude of the transmitter output signal, an air issuing jet and a pivotally supported baffle movable to and from the jet to control the actuating pressure on said diaphragm, a plurality of signal input units having diaphragms defiectible by signal pressures, and a balancing unit responsive to the signal pressure of the transmitter, said input and balancing units being disposed about the jet and spaced equally in degrees with respect to each other, means connecting the diaphragms of each of said units to said baflie, whereby the bafile is actuated by said units about its pivot to control the rate of flow of air from the jet, the transmitter signal thus established causing the balancing unit to develop a force that balances the resultant of the forces exerted on the bafiie by the signal input responsive units.

2. A totalizer as in claim 1 having a support member on which the baflie is mounted at its pivoted end, the support member being rotatably supported at a location adjacent to the free end of the bafile, and the jet is carried by said support member at a location in the path of motion of the free end of the baffle, the support member being rotatable to a position where the angle 0 is included between the battle and connecting means of one ofsaid signal units whereby the output signal of the transmitter is in part a function of the co-tangent of said angle.

3. A totalizer as in claim 1 in which a member is pivotally supported adjacent the free end of the baflic and the respective diaphragms of the signal input, and output units are connected to said member.

4. A totalizer as in claim 3 in which the bafiie support member is rotatably supported on a pivot whose axis substantially coincides with the axis of rotation of the bafiie supported rotary member.

5. A totalizer as in claim 1 in which the sum of signal input units and the output signal unit is an even numher.

6. A totalizer as in claim 1 in which the sum of the signal input units and the output signal unit is an odd number.

7. A totalizer as in claim 1 in which the diaphragms of the signal input and signal output responsive units exert forces on the bafile that are directed radially outward from their points of connection thereto.

8. A totalizer as in claim 1 in which the diaphragms of the signal input and signal output responsive units are provided with means yieldingly urging them radially outward.

9. A totalizer as in claim 1 in which each of the means connecting the diaphragms of the signal input and output signal responsive units comprises tandem tension members connected by a turnbuckle whereby the lengths thereof may be adjusted.

10. The combination of a pneumatic signal transmitter having a valve body provided with a pressure supply and output ports, a valve for controlling the magnitude of the pressure signal at the outlet port, a diaphragm connected to the valve and normally urging the same toward one of its signal control positions, a jet, a passageway leading from the valve supply port to said diaphragm and to said jet and a restriction in the passageway for varying the pressure on the diaphragm in accordance with variations in flow through the jet, with a rotatably mounted memher for supporting the jet, a bafiie pivotably carried by said rotatabiy mounted member for controlling the flow of air out of said jet, the pivot being at a location relatively remote from the point of rotation of said jet supporting member, and a plurality of signal input units and a balancing unit responsive to the output pressure of the transmitter, and links connecting the signal input and balancing units to the bafiie at a location adjacent to its free end, whereby the output signal is caused to be proportional to the magnitude of the input forces and the co-tangent of the angle between said bafiie and an adjacent one of said links.

11. The combination as in claim 1 in which the transmitter valve is normally urged by its diaphragm toward open position and towards closed position by the pressure established by the bafiie and said jet.

12. A rotary ratio totalizer comprising a signal transmitter having a valve and a diaphragm for actuating the same to control the magnitude of the transmitter output signal, an air issuing jet and a pivotally supported bafiie movable to and from the jet to control the actuating pressure on said diaphragm, a plurality of signal responsive units having diaphragms defiectable by signal pressures, at least one of said signal responsive units being responsive to an input signal and another being responsive to the signal pressure of the transmitter, said input and balancing units being disposed about the jet and spaced equally in degrees with respect to each other, means connecting the diaphragms of said units to said battle, whereby the bathe is actuated by said units about its pivot to control the rate of flow of air from the jet, the transmitter signal thus established causing the balancing unit to develop a force that balances the force exerted on the baffle by the signal input responsive unit.

13.- A rotary ratio totalizer as in claim 12 in which 7 References Cited in the file of this patient a. member is pivotally supported adjacent the free end of UNITED STATES PATENTS the baffie and the respective diaphragms of the signal in- V put and output units are connected to said member. 2,409,871- Krogh 1946 14. A totalizer as in claim 13 in which the baffle sup- 5 2:736J99 Ibbott 28, 1955 portmember is rotatably supported on a pivot whose axis substantially coincides with the axis of rotation of FOREIGN PATENTS the baffle supported rotary member. 721,779 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1955 

